


Through a Child's Eyes

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Category: Farscape
Genre: F/M, GFY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-20
Updated: 2010-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-12 01:31:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/119311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes what's needed to find what's lost is another perspective.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through a Child's Eyes

She couldn't have been much older than a cadet. Petite, with a heart-shaped face that would be pretty, if her eyes had held something other than a strange ennui. A weariness with the universe that should never be in the eyes of someone so young. Even a Peacekeeper wouldn't have that look in their eyes. Impatience, disdain, arrogance, and a cold aloofness – all of those.

But the look in her eyes was someone who had seen the worst the universe had to offer, crammed into her short life. And had no illusions that it would ever get better. Certainly, from where she was, it was doubtful it would get better. Up on the block, a place he could remember being.

Stark frowned. He needed to be looking for Zhaan, not here. So why did the little girl catch his attention? He listened to the crowd around him. No one wanted to bid on the child. There was something that frightened them about her. Something strange.

"Come on, come on, the finest young and malleable flesh on the planet! Who will open the bidding?" The auctioneer had a pinched look around his face, desperate to unload the tiny child on his block.

"I'll give you thirty Peacekeeper credits for her." Stark wondered who had spoken, until the crowd turned to stare at him. Why had he offered to buy the child? He couldn't do that to her. Couldn't afford to be dragging a child along while he searched for his love.

"Sold!" The auctioneer waved the handlers to remove the girl from the block, and Stark made his way to the side of the yard, where they snatched the credits, and shoved the girl at him.

"Get her out of here, Banik. And don't ever show your face here again!"

The girl looked up at him with cool blue eyes, and tilted her head to one side. "She's pretty."

Before Stark could ask her what she meant, the girl darted off, pausing at the edge of the square to look over her shoulder at him, as if expecting him to follow her.

~ ~~ ~

 _You can't keep her. It's wrong. And she's too young to follow you on this fools quest._

She knows where Zhaan is. She knows who Zhaan is. She can help me. She wants to help me.

 _How can she? Zhaan died to save Moya from that wormhole ship. She's not coming back. And you're going to kill the child if you drag her with you._

I can't leave her behind. She'll be killed. They're afraid of her.

 _Because she's as crazy as you are. You're talking to yourself. Look at how she watches you. She knows you're crazy._

She's not crazy. I know what crazy is. She can't be. She just has the look of someone who's seen too much.

 _And seeing that much can make anyone crazy. Like a child. She's just a child. And she's as crazy as you are._

No! She's not crazy, and she can help me find Zhaan. She knows who Zhaan is. She said she was pretty. Stay on your side, and leave me alone!

 _Oh, that again. My side, your side, my side, your side. There are no sides! And I will not leave you alone. You need someone to talk sense into you. You're crazy, Zhaan is dead, and you're going to get this girl killed along with yourself running around on this foolish quest._

Shut UP! Your side! Go back to your side, and leave me my side! My side, your side, two different sides. Mine is here, yours is there, stay there!

~ ~~ ~

Stark could feel the girl's eyes on him as he argued with the darkness that brought on insanity. Did she think he was crazy?

"She doesn't think you're crazy. Why would I?" The girl tilted her head, a slight smile appearing on her face. "I'll show you where to find her, if you want. I always can find her."

"Why?" Stark stared at her, uncertain why she was helping him. "How do you know?"

"Because she told me about you. To look for you, because you are looking for her, and can't find her by yourself. You look too hard in all the wrong places." The girl scooted around the fire she'd made when they'd stopped, far from the village he'd rescued her from the block in.

"Where do I look?" Stark turned as she approached him, so he was facing her.

The girl pressed a hand to his forehead, and her eyes fluttered closed. "I'll show you where to look. Just trust me."

~ ~~ ~

 _Where am I?_

Where you need to look. Isn't it pretty?

 _It... I don't know. It's dark here._

Dark? Can't you see the light? There's always light here. It's pretty, like stars.

 _Stars don't shed a lot of light on planets that aren't orbiting them. Or anywhere that isn't in their system._

But they always shed light. I can see it. Come on, take my hand. I'll lead you to where she is.

 _Where are we going?_

Where she is. Does it have to have a name? You didn't always have to name things. Why do you want to name this place? It just is.

 _I don't know. But I don't think I've been here before._

You help people come here all the time. It's a very nice place, and you're very kind person, to help people come here.

 **Child, is that you?**

Of course it is! You always know when I'm here. I brought him, like you asked me.

 _Zhaan?_

 **I am here, love. I've missed you.**

I told you she was here.

 **You've done well, child. Come back later, and I will tell you another story.**

I won't come back. I told you, all I wanted was to see you smile. You're prettier when you smile. That's why he loves you.

 _Thank you._

You're welcome. You look better when you smile, too. You should both smile more.

~ ~~ ~

Stark opened his eyes, a smile on his face. The fire was embers in the pit, but the sun was just coming up, and it was better it was dying. He looked around for the girl, and frowned. There was no sign of her.

He stood up, looking around for her. Nothing. Even her footprints had vanished. Like she'd never existed.

"Just a guide. To show me what I was missing," he whispered to himself, staring at the place where she'd sat across from him when they made camp. "ZyLimbron."

He heard an echo of laughter, and a soft murmur of, "Smile for her."

Stark nodded, a smile touching his face as he packed his bag, and made sure the fire was dead and cold before he headed for the city and the spaceport. It was time to return to the others. And remember where to look when he wanted to see Zhaan again.


End file.
